Found Out Something Interesting

Had a letter from the doctor regarding another health matter & originally he said that I didn't have Epilepsy, but in a letter that he sent me a few days later, he said that I suffer from Refracted Epilepsy

This makes sense as I've been suffering from absent seizures before I was diagnosed & put on tablets, the 1st lot didn't agree with me & the 2nd lot have just reduced the amount, but not got rid of them

This means that I'm never gonna get my driving licence back, which is a shame, but that's how it's gotta be as I really enjoyed driving a Smart car & said that I wanted a soft top version

[AmyBadd]

Sorry to hear that. But if you get your seizures controlled, you can get your driving license back. I have never had a driving license as I have had epilepsy since age 14, but wondering whether to apply for one soon as I've not had a seizure in nearly 4 years (although I did previously have a gap of 7 years and then had a few).

[stillmovin in reply to AmyBadd]

Hi there. I was diagnosed with complex partial epilepsy at age 39/40 yrs. I handed back my driving licence which I only had for a few years before diagnosis. I finally got my seizures controlled with meds a few years after and have just managed to have the confidence to get my licence back. You can get it back after one year of absolutely no seizures, and don’t forget, the DVLA consider an Aura as an epileptic seizure too. I am glad I got it back but I am about to turn 60 and have not driven since age 40. I have taken lots of refresher lessons but the traffic and roads have changed a lot in that time. I am trying to get my confidence back and I will get there eventually. My message is, wait patiently please until you are clear of auras and seizures. Be honest and be safe. Give yourself time. You will get the seizures controlled if you work with your consultant on the best medication possibilities and you will get out driving ! Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to stillmovin]

It doesn't look like I'm gonna be able to as I keep on having seizures & will always have them as was diagnosed way late for any tablets to be 100% effective, they'll just reduce the time between them

[stillmovin in reply to Hidden]

I didn’t know that getting seizures controlled depended on how long after your first seizures you started onto treatment. Is that what you meant? I’m not an expert but if you have a good consultant neurologist they should be able to try all sorts of medications and combinations of medications to find what can get your seizures controlled. I had to try out a few. Best of luck and I really hope your consultant gets those seizures under control.

[Hidden in reply to stillmovin]

Yes, I've been told that with each tablet that they try the chances of it working reduce, the 2 I'm on right now seem to be working as my seizures are slowly spreading out again

[car67]

Hi , I was diagnosed about 10 or 11 years ago and no medication works so my epilepsy is not controlled, driving out the window, however I never drove so it wasn’t a loss. But I do know people who did and they have found it very difficult to come to terms with .

[Whyme89 in reply to car67]

Can't you have surgery for your epilepsy, seen as you are drug resistant?

[car67 in reply to Whyme89]

Hi

I could have done but my epilepsy too bad at the moment , also as I have a past haemorrhage I’m also too afraid tbh. All that said, I’m typing this up in a hospital bed, had seizures for last few days and had got worse by this morning, had a really rough day but slightly better . Time to sleep , take care

[Whyme89 in reply to car67]

I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope you get better soon. 👍

[car67 in reply to Whyme89]

Still here in hospital ! But , sorry if I have already see this I can’t remember 😩 but it transpired I have covid which explains all my seizures, my clonic tonic (generalised) ones seem to have stopped 🥳I had a complex partial one yesterday , but I’m getting better, my covid symptoms seem to be slowly getting better too😌

[Whyme89 in reply to car67]

Sorry to hear that. Did u get vaccinated for covid though? As the vaccinations can cause seizures

[car67 in reply to Whyme89]

Hi

Yes I did, all 3! Plus flu jab.With my first vaccine I was laid out for a week!

This time though with so many seizures I wasn’t aware that I had Covid again, I came in to hospital because of the increase of the seizures ; then discovered I had covid. I knew something wasn’t right tho as my head was exploding , and I just didn’t feel right.

[Whyme89]

Yeah, I haven't bothered with any vaccines as I'm more concerned about my epilepsy instead. Not worth the risk